Aleppo liberated
© SANA / Reuters Aleppo liberated.
The Syrian Army has regained control over all of Aleppo, returning "security and stability to the city," the army's general command announced in a statement. The city has been liberated from "terrorism and terrorists" the statement said, as quoted by Syria's state SANA news agency. Aleppo will now mark a turning point in the war against terrorism, the Syrian Army statement said. "It strikes a smashing blow to the forces that backed a terrorism plot against Syria," the statement added.

Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Thursday that the liberation of Aleppo from terrorism is a victory not just for Syria but for all those who are effectively contributing to the fight against terrorism, including Iran and Russia. "It is also a setback for all the countries that are hostile towards the Syrian people and that have used terrorism as a means [by which] to realize their interests," he said. A SANA reporter wrote previously on Thursday that the last stage of evacuating terrorists and their families from eastern Aleppo was underway.